1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of drawer hardware and particularly relates a drawer suspension, certain elements of which are secured to a cabinet adjacent an opening, other elements of which are secured to the drawer.
2. The Prior Art
It is known to provide a two part drawer hanger apparatus including anti-friction roller means or the like adapted to be secured to a drawer and to adjacent portions of the cabinet surrounding the drawer, whereby the retraction and return movement of the drawer may be smoothly effected and with a minimum of friction.
It is likewise known to provide means for limiting the distance which the drawer may be withdrawn so that the latter may not be inadvertently pulled clear of the cabinet.
Certain drawer slides of the type described employ gravity pawl mechanisms which function initially to stop the drawer, the pawls being thereafter actuable for removal of the drawer. Such devices as were heretofore known are disadvantageous in that it is necessary, to effect removal of the drawer, for the operator to reach into the cabinet, e.g., rearwardly of the forward line of the cabinet, to trip the pawls. Unless the user is familiar with the location of the pawls, removal is accomplished only with difficulty. Examples of prior art drawer slides having pawl structures of the type described may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,243,247 and 3,328,106.
Such structures, in addition, are disadvantageous in that they increase the overall profile of the slide construction in the heightwise direction, precluding their use in situations where it is desired to assemble a multiplicity of stacked shallow drawers.
Certain other slide constructions, e.g. a construction identified as Model 178, appearing in Catalogue No. 26 of Capital Hardware Mfg. Co. Inc., overcome certain of the disadvantages hereinabove set forth, increasing the accessibility of the pawl at the front of the cabinet. Such devices, however, do not provide the desired low profile effect and mandate, in accordance with their intended operation, the provision of additional vertical space. Also, the latching portion of the pawl of such device extends beyond the confines of the slide channels, raising the possibility that the latch may be tripped by material extending from a lower drawer, etc.